In 1986, Siouxsie and the Banshees released the album Tinderbox, which yielded the all too catchy single “Cities In Dust.” Now in 2024, Naarm (Melbourne) based Velatine, have covered “Cities In Dust,” featuring for the first time the vocals of Sasha Tyler, along side the ever present lord of darkness himself, Loki Lockwood.
Electronics herald in the recognisable chords to the track, but this is not the same creature as the original. The synths strike a harpsichord tone and the singular guitar has a lot of impact. Tyler’s voice is true and strong. She is not Siouxsie Sioux, for there can only be one of those, however I think she is perfect for this reinterpretation, and her vocals are like honey.
Indeed, the eldritch is strong in this track, and I swear at any moment I am going to hear Vincent Price laughing into the pall of gothic mist covered horror. Why horror? “Cities In Dust” is about the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, seemingly wiped from existence by the powerful explosion of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius. The Velatine version is a little sparser… more electronics and maybe this has upped the ante when it comes to the eeriness factor. Out on the Spooky Records label, visit Bandcamp for name your price before you go dancing at the Lares Shrine.
Cities in Dust | Velatine (bandcamp.com)
velatine – Link in Bio & Creator Tools | Beacons
Onyx Music Reviews 
After 9/11, I didn’t listen to any music for a couple of days. When I finally hit play on a mixed tape, Cities in Dust was the first song to play. I still get shivers hearing it. This version is almost as good as Siouxie’s–nicely done.
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As a child, my parents took me to see the Pompeii exhibit, and it left me in awe but also saddened seeing the concrete moulds, especially that poor dog that was chained up, unable to leave. It is the same dog on the cover of the single. Lockwwod is a clever guy when it comes to music and he picks female vocalists that lift his music up to another level. Maybe the truth is all comes from dust and returns to dust.
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